Dr Mark Van Breugel

Mark Van Breugel

Lecturer in Biochemistry

School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London

Research

Centrioles, Centrosomes, Cilia, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Structural Biology

Interests

Centrioles are barrel-shaped cell organelles and are one of the largest protein assemblies found in animal cells. They form the core of centrosomes and thereby influence the organisation of the microtubule cytoskeleton in cells. If too many centrioles are made, extra centrosomes are assembled which can result in problems in cell division and diseases such as cancer. Centrioles also can use their distal appendages to dock to the cell membrane and template the outgrowth of hair-like cell projections called cilia and flagella. Cilia/flagella can move in a wave-like manner and thereby move fluid across the cell surface or propel cells, as observed in sperm cells. Other cilia types are immotile and act as sensory devices with which cells perceive their environment, e.g. smells, light or signalling molecules. Due to their key role in cilia formation, centriole defects can cause infertility and a class of diseases called ciliopathies.

Because of their size and complexity, centrioles are challenging to study experimentally. While many centriole components have been identified by genetic, cell biological and biochemical methods, it is poorly understood how exactly they come together, what precise role and mechanism of action these components have and how diseases result from their dysfunction. My lab addresses these questions using a wide variety of methods ranging from structural techniques such as X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy as well as biochemical and cell biological approaches.

Publications

solid heart iconPublications of specific relevance to the Centre for Molecular Cell Biology

2023

Relevant PublicationCarden S, Vitiello E, Rosa E Silva I, Holder J, Quarantotti V, Kishore K, Roamio Franklin VN, D'Santos C, Ochi T, van Breugel M and Gergely F (2023). Proteomic profiling of centrosomes across multiple mammalian cell and tissue types by an affinity capture method. Developmental Cell, Elsevier vol. 58 (21), 2393-2410.e9.  
17-10-2023

2022

Relevant Publicationvan Breugel M, Rosa e Silva I and Andreeva A (2022). Structural validation and assessment of AlphaFold2 predictions for centrosomal and centriolar proteins and their complexes. Communications Biology, Springer Nature vol. 5 (1) 
05-04-2022

2021

Relevant PublicationRosa e Silva I, Binó L, Johnson CM, Rutherford TJ, Neuhaus D, Andreeva A, Čajánek L and van Breugel M (2021). Molecular mechanisms underlying the role of the centriolar CEP164-TTBK2 complex in ciliopathies. Structure, Elsevier vol. 30 (1), 114-128.e9.  
08-09-2021

2020

Relevant PublicationOchi T, Quarantotti V, Lin H, Jullien J, Rosa e Silva I, Boselli F, Barnabas DD, Johnson CM, McLaughlin SH, Freund SMV, Blackford AN, Kimata Y, Goldstein RE, Jackson SP, Blundell TL, Dutcher SK, Gergely F and van Breugel M (2020). CCDC61/VFL3 Is a Paralog of SAS6 and Promotes Ciliary Functions. Structure, Elsevier vol. 28 (6), 674-689.e11.  
05-05-2020
bullet iconLiu Y, Kim J, Philip R, Sridhar V, Chandrashekhar M, Moffat J, van Breugel M and Pelletier L (2020). Direct interaction between CEP85 and STIL mediates PLK4-driven directed cell migration. Journal of Cell Science, Company of Biologists vol. 133 (8) 
23-04-2020

2018

bullet iconJoseph N, Al-Jassar C, Johnson CM, Andreeva A, Barnabas DD, Freund SMV, Gergely F and van Breugel M (2018). Disease-Associated Mutations in CEP120 Destabilize the Protein and Impair Ciliogenesis. Cell Reports, Elsevier vol. 23 (9), 2805-2818.  
01-05-2018
bullet iconLiu Y, Gupta GD, Barnabas DD, Agircan FG, Mehmood S, Wu D, Coyaud E, Johnson CM, McLaughlin SH, Andreeva A, Freund SMV, Robinson CV, Cheung SWT, Raught B, Pelletier L and van Breugel M (2018). Direct binding of CEP85 to STIL ensures robust PLK4 activation and efficient centriole assembly. Nature Communications, Springer Nature vol. 9 (1) 
30-04-2018

2016

bullet iconAl-Jassar C, Andreeva A, Barnabas DD, McLaughlin SH, Johnson CM, Yu M and van Breugel M (2016). The Ciliopathy-Associated Cep104 Protein Interacts with Tubulin and Nek1 Kinase. Structure, Elsevier vol. 25 (1), 146-156.  
22-12-2016

2014

bullet iconvan Breugel M, Wilcken R, McLaughlin SH, Rutherford TJ and Johnson CM (2014). Structure of the SAS-6 cartwheel hub from Leishmania major. eLife, eLife vol. 3 
01-01-2014

2013

bullet iconCottee MA, Muschalik N, Wong YL, Johnson CM, Johnson S, Andreeva A, Oegema K, Lea SM, Raff JW and van Breugel M (2013). Crystal structures of the CPAP/STIL complex reveal its role in centriole assembly and human microcephaly. eLife, eLife Sciences Publications Ltd vol. 2, e01071-e01071.  
17-09-2013

2011

bullet iconvan Breugel M, Hirono M, Andreeva A, Yanagisawa H-A, Yamaguchi S, Nakazawa Y, Morgner N, Petrovich M, Ebong I-O, Robinson CV, Johnson CM, Veprintsev D and Zuber B (2011). Structures of SAS-6 Suggest Its Organization in Centrioles. Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) vol. 331 (6021), 1196-1199.  
27-01-2011

Grants

solid heart iconGrants of specific relevance to the Centre for Molecular Cell Biology
solid heart iconUnderstanding membrane shape remodelling in cilia formation and function
Mark Van Breugel
£475,401 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (23-02-2024 - 22-02-2027)